New Translation Fund to help Scottish writing reach international audience

Published: 25 Aug 2015

Publishing Scotland launches a new Translation Fund to help Scottish writing to reach an international audience

Publishing Scotland is launching a new Translation Fund, on behalf of Creative Scotland. Designed to encourage international publishers to translate works by Scottish writers, the fund is being launched today (Tuesday 25 August) at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

The purpose of the fund is to support publishers based outside the United Kingdom to buy rights from Scottish and UK publishers and agents by offering assistance with the cost of translation of Scottish writers. The funding will be received in the form of a grant.

Priority will be given to the translation of contemporary literature, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, writing for children and graphic novels. Assessment criteria will also include the merit of the work to be translated, financial need of the publisher, track record of publisher and translator, and the proposed marketing plan. An expert panel will meet twice a year to assess applications.

The fund will be launched at Publishing Scotland’s annual summer reception on Tuesday 25 August at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and applications will be accepted until 27 November 2015. This is the deadline for round one, there will be another round in 2016.

Publishing Scotland has an international theme running through its business programme this year with an event in the Edinburgh International Book Festival programme - The Translation Gap, on 25 August - and the inaugural Publishing Fellowship programme, bringing influential overseas publishers to experience the thriving Scottish literary scene from 24-29 August. The aim is to encourage the dissemination of Scottish literature internationally.

Aly Barr, Acting Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing at Creative Scotland said “Following the recommendations in the recent Literature Sector Review, we’re delighted that Publishing Scotland will now be delivering this exciting new fund to support Scottish writing and publishing on an international stage. This fund will allow publishers from across the globe to access and translate Scotland’s greatest writing. “

For more information on the Publishing Fellowship programme or to interview CEO Marion Sinclair contact Fiona Brownlee at Brownlee Donald Associates Ltd fiona@brownleedonald.com.

Notes to editors

The translation fund is worth a total of £25k, with 2 annual deadlines.

Publishing Scotland is the network and development body for the Scottish publishing industry and is based in Edinburgh. It runs the Publishing Fellowship programme, hosts the national stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair, runs the “Go-See” fund for first-time attendance at book fairs and runs www.booksfromscotland.com.
Visit www.publishingscotland.org and follow @publishscotland on Twitter.

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots on Twitter and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland.